Ep. 298 Rethinking, Reworking, Relaunching Our Mastermind Program

Photo: ©Dean Drobot via Canva.com

Shows Main Idea – We started our Mastermind Program in 2010. It has gone through many changes because, like our individual sanctification, we’re always learning, growing, and maturing. In this episode, I explain our most recent changes, the reasons we are making them, and why it might be the right time for you to jump into this world-class, discipleship, counselor training. The start date for these new changes is set for Spring 2021.

Listen to the podcast

Show Notes

Listen to the audio version of this webinar:

You may want to read:

• Learn more about our Mastermind Program
• Four Reasons You Should Not Take Our Training Course
• The Repercussions of a Certified Biblical Counselor
• Is It a Good Idea to Expect Pastors to Be Biblical Counselors?

What We Assess

• Our Mastermind training course is for anyone.
  • The reason anyone would want to take it is to grow in their discipleship, counseling ability. Everyone goes down the same path, but the result is different for each student.
• We help them identify their abilities as they gain a sober self-assessment of who they are and what they can do.
  • The goal is to help, not hurt others.
• There are four primary areas of gifting that we help the student discern—subjectively assessed, of course.
  • Character – Who you are in your relationship with God. – Integrity, Honesty, Moral Purity, Affection, Passion, Motives, Maturity, Thought Life
  • Capacity – What is the potential of your God-given ability? – Intellect, Education, IQ, Cognitive, Insight, Analysis, Discernment, Understanding
  • Competence – We train them competently to fill up their capacity. – Application, Practice, Behavior, Ability, Modeling, Process, Method, Fruit of the Spirit
  • Courage – The gift of courage is crucial to be a disciple-maker. – Leadership, Gathering Ability, Empathy v. Sympathy, Confidence, Assurance

Finding Your Place

• Working within this framework, we help the student identify strengths, weaknesses, and attainable results that manifest into the fullest measure of what they can be as a Christian. At the end of the program, we give one of four certifications that mirror where they are on the discipleship spectrum.
  • Certification IV – Discipler
  • Certification III – Disciple-Maker
  • Certification II – Informal Counselor
  • Certification I – Formal Counselor
• Why have I changed my mind about certification?
  • I have not changed my mind about the certification problem. Most BC training programs give certification without caveat, and the connotation is “certification equals qualification.”

Applicable Analogy

• In Major League Baseball, everyone receives training to play ball, but only a few will make AA or AAA or the “bigs.” Just because you own a ball, glove, bat, and jersey, they will not let you play in the “bigs.”
• If the prospective student comes to us, we will equip them well and, hopefully, place them more accurately on the field of play. What we don’t want to do is provide training, and everyone receives the same certificate. I will not perpetuate a connotation that says “all counselors, disciplers” are the same.

Certification Expanded

• Certification IV – Discipler: Mentor, Friend, Soul-Care Provider, Companion, Advisor
• Certification III – Disciple-Maker: Mentor, Friend, Soul-Care Provider, Companion, Advisor, Leader, Guide, Ability To Replicate, Small Group Leader, Teacher
• Certification II – Informal Counselor: Mentor, Friend, Soul-Care Provider, Companion, Advisor, Leader, Guide, Ability To Replicate, Small Group Leader, Teacher, Competent Counselor in Some Counseling Situations
• Certification I – Formal Counselor: Mentor, Friend, Soul-Care Provider, Companion, Advisor, Leader, Guide, Ability To Replicate, Small Group Leader, Teacher, Competent Counselor in Some Counseling Situations, Personal-Relational-Familial-Situational Counselor, Complex Cases

It’s Only a Start

• Any person who finishes the program will receive Certification IV, which is the minimum that says they have completed it. Some students will receive Certification III.
• Because of the limitations of all training regimens, nobody should receive Certification II or I. It takes more than training (education) to be proficient—if the goal is a formalized biblical counselor.
• All our students will receive outstanding training that places them on an educational, equipping, discipleship path. The minimal reward will be IV (or III). Others will finish the MM program and continue down a training path and earn additional certifications because they have the passion, ambition, and skills to reach those higher goals.

Why Training

• The most basic reason to take our training is to be a better discipler and possibly a disciple-maker.
• The more rigorous reason would be to start a process that leads a student to the rarified air of becoming a Formalized Biblical Counselor.
• They can begin that pursuit by doing our program, but they will need more training and years of practice.

A New Process

• Because this type of training is such a big commitment, we have modified our program to help potential students assess if it’s the right fit for them. They will have the ability to “try our program” without fully committing to it. Some Christians are like the person standing in front of the buffet bar, who loads his plate only to find out he cannot finish it.
• We help prospective students think through what they might not perceive about themselves because they don’t know what they cannot know—kind of like parenting.
• We have too many people take our course for the wrong reasons or with the wrong perspective in view, and they don’t finish.
  • They don’t have a sober self-assessment of what they can do.
  • They don’t know what a leadership development program is. E.g., the prospective student can be easily offended by criticism, so we can’t give helpful feedback.
  • Many women come here because they have poor marriages; they see this as a logical and doable extension that goes beyond a few useful articles they read on our site. They want more.

Helping Them Discern

• It would be like a singer who can’t sing, but nobody dares to tell them they can’t sing.
• It would be like a baseball player who always runs toward third base after he hits the ball. There needs to be an adult in the room who helps them not to commit to something when it’s apparent they don’t understand why they should head toward first or keep their singing sequestered to the shower.

An Integrity Thing

• It’s also an integrity thing for us. We don’t want to take their money unless they have a shot at finishing this training.
• Thus, we have a “trial period” that saves the wannabe prospective student money, time, potential embarrassment, and disappointment.
• This evaluating process also permits us to focus on those who have the “presence” of what we’re looking for, though not the “perfection” of it.

A Wise Thing

• This “measured entry perspective” is similar to other processes in our culture.
  • A resume is a filtering process.
  • Auditions do a similar thing.
  • A preacher preaching a trial sermon
  • The person who fills out a personality assessment to get a job

It’s Not Average

• We are a higher level discipleship training program. Most Christians can grow as a discipler by being a good church member, taking sermon notes, being actively part of a small group, attending group studies, and participating in discipleship events. A mentor will also serve them well.
• If a person wants to grow more in-depth in discipleship, and potential disciple-making, informal, or formal counseling, they are asking for something more sophisticated with a higher bar.

Need More Help?

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Rick Thomas

Rick launched the Life Over Coffee global training network in 2008 to bring hope and help for you and others by creating resources that spark conversations for transformation. His primary responsibilities are resource creation and leadership development, which he does through speaking, writing, podcasting, and educating.

In 1990 he earned a BA in Theology and, in 1991, a BS in Education. In 1993, he received his ordination into Christian ministry, and in 2000 he graduated with an MA in Counseling from The Master’s University. In 2006 he was recognized as a Fellow of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).